The former butler to Pope Benedict XVI will stand trial for stealing and leaking secret Vatican documents.

46-year-old father of three Paolo Gabriele was arrested on May 23 in connection with an investigation into leaks of confidential information, dubbed "Vatileaks."

The documents he leaked pointed to corruption and power struggles within the higher echelons of the Catholic Church. The Vatican has said the investigation into leaks will "continue to identify other individuals who appear to be involved."

Vatican magistrates have formally charged Pope Benedict's butler with illegal possession of secret documents and said a wider investigation would take place to see if he had any accomplices who helped him leak them.

A statement referred to Paolo Gabriele, 46, who was Benedict's butler until he was arrested on Wednesday, as "the defendant".

It said a preliminary investigation had been upgraded to a "formal investigation," meaning he had been formally charged.